Nomado Car Rental Christchurch (Hornby depot)
305 Marshs Road, Hornby South, Christchurch, Canterbury 8042
Open daily · after-hours pickup by arrangement
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Christchurch
Locally owned NZ car rental in Christchurch. Unlimited kilometres, insurance included and no airport surcharge — the smart start to your South Island road trip.
About this location
Looking for cheap car rental in Christchurch? Nomado offers all-inclusive car hire from Christchurch city and Christchurch Airport (CHC) starting at just $29/day. Christchurch is the launchpad for some of the most spectacular drives on the planet — Lake Tekapo, Mt Cook, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Kaikoura and the West Coast glaciers are all within a day's drive of the city. We make it easy with a well-maintained late-model fleet, unlimited kilometres, insurance included and a fast pickup from our Hornby depot or via our complimentary shuttle from Christchurch Airport.
Unlike the big Christchurch rental car brands, our advertised rate is the rate you pay. Every Nomado Christchurch rental includes: unlimited kilometres (no per-km charge for long South Island loops), standard third-party and vehicle insurance ($3,000 excess, reducible to $500 with premium cover), unlimited additional drivers at no extra cost, GST, and a full-to-full fuel policy. No airport concession fees, no compulsory insurance upsell, no admin surprises.
Our Hornby depot at 305 Marshs Road is about a 20-minute complimentary shuttle from Christchurch Airport. Unlike the on-airport counters, Nomado doesn't charge an airport concession fee — the same $29/day rate applies whether you pick up in the city or from CHC. See our dedicated Christchurch Airport car rental page for shuttle times and after-hours pickup.
The Mazda Demio budget car is perfect for solo travellers and couples doing a Christchurch–Queenstown loop. Our mid-size Mitsubishi Outlander SUV handles the family and gear for a Tekapo–Mt Cook adventure. For ski season, groups, or campervan-style trips with luggage on the roof, the 4WD 7 seater SUV with roof racks (surfboards, skis and snowboards all fit) is the go-to choice.
Nomado is a New Zealand owned and operated rental car company. We're not a franchise, so we don't pay a percentage to a global brand — those savings go straight into your daily rate. You'll pay less than Apex, Hertz, Budget, GoRentals, Ezi or Europcar for a like-for-like Christchurch rental, and you'll deal with the same small team from booking to drop-off.
Christchurch → Lake Tekapo (3 hrs, sealed): turquoise lakes, dark-sky reserve and lupins in November. Christchurch → Mt Cook Village (4.5 hrs): Hooker Valley walk and NZ's tallest peak. Christchurch → Queenstown (6 hrs): the classic South Island road trip. Christchurch → Kaikoura (2.5 hrs): whale watching and rugged coast. Christchurch → Arthur's Pass & Franz Josef (4 hrs to the Pass, 6 hrs to the glacier): one of NZ's most dramatic alpine crossings.
Doing an inter-island NZ road trip? Nomado offers one-way rentals between Christchurch (Hornby) and our two Auckland depots (Beachlands and Clevedon). The one-way fee is a flat rate agreed at booking — no drop-off surprises. You can also take our vehicles on the Interislander or Bluebridge ferry from Picton (just let us know at booking).
Between June and September, the drive from Christchurch inland to Mt Cook, Wanaka and Queenstown often requires snow chains on the passes. All our SUVs and 7 seaters are 4WD-capable and roof racks are included at no extra cost. We recommend the 4WD 7 seater or mid-size SUV for winter ski trips to Mt Hutt, Porters or the Wanaka fields. See our winter road trip guide for the full picture.
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305 Marshs Road, Hornby South, Christchurch, Canterbury 8042
Open daily · after-hours pickup by arrangement
Get directions →Available Vehicles
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Top Drives
3 hr sealed drive to Lake Tekapo's turquoise waters, the Church of the Good Shepherd and the world-class Aoraki Mackenzie dark-sky reserve.
4.5 hrs via Tekapo and Pukaki to Aoraki/Mt Cook Village. Walk the Hooker Valley track under NZ's tallest peak.
6 hr South Island classic via Mt Cook and the MacKenzie Country. One of the world's best drives.
2.5 hrs north up the coast — whale watching, seal colonies and crayfish shacks along State Highway 1.
4 hrs to Arthur's Pass, 6 hrs to Franz Josef. One of NZ's most dramatic alpine crossings.
5.5 hrs to Wanaka — perfect for winter ski trips and the summer Roys Peak sunrise hike.
Nomado car rental in Christchurch starts from $29/day for our budget Mazda Demio. All rentals include unlimited kilometres, standard insurance and unlimited additional drivers — no daily add-ons, no hidden fees. A mid-size SUV starts around $59/day and our 4WD 7 seater from around $89/day.
The big-brand Christchurch rental counters typically charge $65–120/day once insurance excess reduction and airport concession fees are added. Nomado is a locally owned NZ car rental company with no airport surcharge, no daily insurance upsell and no fuel-service fee — so a like-for-like week in Christchurch usually comes in 30–50% cheaper.
Yes — our Christchurch depot at 305 Marshs Road, Hornby South is about a 20-minute complimentary shuttle from Christchurch Airport (CHC). See our dedicated Christchurch Airport car rental page for shuttle details.
Yes. Every Nomado Christchurch rental — from the $29/day budget car to the 7 seater SUV — comes with genuinely unlimited kms. Drive to Queenstown, Milford, the West Coast glaciers and back to Christchurch without a per-km charge.
Yes, Nomado offers one-way car hire between our Christchurch (Hornby) depot and our Auckland depots (Beachlands and Clevedon). The one-way fee is a flat amount calculated at booking — no surprise drop-off charges.
A full, current driver licence held for at least 12 months. Overseas licences not in English need an accompanying certified translation or International Driving Permit. Minimum driver age is 21. See our driving in New Zealand guide for the full checklist.
For most South Island roads a standard 2WD is fine year-round. If you're heading to Mt Hutt, Porters, Ohau or Round Hill ski fields, or driving in heavy snow to Queenstown/Wanaka, our 4WD 7 seater SUV (with roof racks included) is the right pick.
Absolutely — Christchurch to Queenstown via Lake Tekapo and the MacKenzie Country is one of the world's great drives (about 6 hours, 480 km). Unlimited kilometres are included, and it's a sealed road year-round (chains may be required in winter).
No bond. We take credit card details at pickup to cover any traffic infringements or damage, but there's no lump sum debited or held against your card.
Yes — most of our vehicles can travel on the Interislander or Bluebridge ferry from Picton. Just let us know at booking so we can arrange the paperwork.